For some gamers the idea of a ‘sandbox’ Mario game is pure retro. Super Mario 64 played a big part in revolutionising gaming, not just 3D platforming, and then Super Mario Sunshine took the idea in some interesting new directions on GameCube. Yet the Wii was a transformative console in taking Nintendo back to the top of the home console space; by the time Super Mario Galaxy rolled around it was a revolution, flipping Mario quite literally on his head. In that game and its sequel Mario’s playgrounds became tightly structured and designed stages, following the approach that served his 2D adventures so well.

On Wii U we then had Super Mario 3D World, in a sense a hybrid - it incorporated some of the ideas and ‘feel’ of 2D Mario but had some dizzying creativity; it was also a rarely successful multiplayer Mario platforming experience. Yet that blend hasn’t been repeated, with the only thing that’s ‘hybrid’ about Super Mario Odyssey being the hardware on which it belongs. Make no mistake, Odyssey owes its heritage and roots to Super Mario 64, a link that Cappy wears like a badge of honour.

Cappy, of course, is not only Mario’s sidekick but is actually the star. Without Cappy the rotund hero is rather vulnerable, as he explores lands where no power-ups can help him. The little - and charmingly courageous - hat brings the key feature of the game: capturing. In giving Mario dozens of creatures, enemies and even inanimate objects to capture, Nintendo gifts us with more toys than we’ve ever had in a Mario world and makes them all fun, in what’s an impressive display of development and design bravura.

In any case, let’s go back to the beginning. Super Mario Odyssey starts off with an impressive cinematic in which Mario is anything but the cocky hero - Bowser is besting him. The famous foe is intent on marrying Peach and Mario can’t stop him, getting swept off Bowser’s ship to the land below. Cappy follows and we start off in Bonneton (the Cap Kingdom), where sentient hats bemoan the loss of one of their own to serve as Peach’s tiara. Naturally Bowser and his evil rabbit wedding planners have left a mess and destroyed all of the flying hat-shaped ships (stick with us here). Mario, dishevelled but determined, meets Cappy and begins his journey.

It’s bonkers, and delightfully so. You learn very early on that it’s a game where sanity and conventional wisdom have no place. In fact, it goes out of its way to emphasize those points - within the first hour you possess a couple of animals made famous in the many promotional videos for the game; there are wacky boss encounters, retro 2D transitions and sweeping orchestral music. The early tempo is right on the money to set the scene, and though there’s a little scope for freedom the first hour or two is relatively tightly structured as the game teaches you - albeit relatively organically - how to go about saving the princess.

A lot of these lessons are necessary for those more used to linear Mario games, but the training wheels do eventually come off. Much feels familiar, regardless - Mario may initially feel a little lighter and more athletic, with a bit of a ‘skid’ to his run and the instinctive ability to climb ledges. Nevertheless in no time all the old moves come back - the triple jump, high jump, long jump and more. There are excellent ways the game teaches newcomers, but for veterans it won’t take long to get into the groove.

Throwing Cappy is the key - he defeats enemies, captures them, solves puzzles and even acts as a spring to boost Mario’s jumps. The basic throw is easy, but Nintendo has also utilised motion controls for broader moves such as a circular attack (also vital for some puzzles) and the option to fling him vertically. The key moves to progress in the game can all be done with a button press, but some of the smarter throws do require motion inputs. The game pushes you towards using the two Joy-Con as they’re light and responsive, though this scribe has a left controller that occasionally does the dreaded disconnect trick. Thankfully the Pro Controller also works well with the motion inputs, even if it feels less intuitive and stylish shaking the bulky pad around; for long spells of exploration we’d rarely use the motion-only moves, in any case.

What these optional controls also do is remind us that, at its heart, this is a console game best enjoyed on the TV. In theory the motion inputs work in handheld mode, and we had fun in portable play sessions, but it’s not ideal to move and shake the console around - it’s probably best advised not to. It’s a game with sizeable worlds that feels like it yearns for a bigger screen than the system itself can offer.

Back to the core game - once you’ve mastered Cappy you set off on the Odyssey across over a dozen lands. There’s a bit of linear plot to guide you for a while, tied to the Odyssey’s range as a ship. As you reach new Kingdoms your priorities are twofold - to follow key checkpoints to defeat bosses and progress the story, but also to find extra Power Moons to fuel the ship. The design is particularly clever in the first go around, as a lot of extra moons can be discovered on your route from A to B. They’ll catch the corner of your eye, or you’ll see the tell-tale sign of a puzzle or hidden area.

On top of this you’re also looking for gold and purple coins. Gold coins are - in essence - your lives, not that you’ll actually run out; when you die you sacrifice a small number, but it’s pretty inconsequential. That does mean there’s no sense of ‘game over’ peril, but that’s nothing new as Mario games have had endless continues for years. In a game focused on exploration and joyful experimentation this is an understandable approach.

Each Kingdom has two stores - a broad range is purchasable with the common gold coins, with region-specific outfits and souvenirs (which can be stuck on and inside the Odyssey) available with that area’s purple currency. Finding the fixed number of each region’s currency is a nice sub-quest outside of Power Moons, especially if you want to plaster your ship in stickers and build up your varied collection of outfits for Mario.

In the first half of the game, in zones you’ve likely seen in Nintendo’s various videos, veterans may ultimately feel they’re not being stretched. The return to a collect-a-thon approach is risky in that sense, as clearing mini stages and simple puzzles doesn’t always have the same dizzying allure of full inventive levels. Yet the freedom to play and explore does become intoxicating as you realise just how much Mario and Cappy can do. Importantly, too, after the first five zones (in our case) it felt like the experience ramped up, progressing from being excellent Mario gaming to exceptional.

Surprise encounters come at the right moments, and the first arrival at New Donk City feels like a heralding of the real game, with the lessons and easy introductions being mostly finished. It’s a fantastic environment to explore, and the areas that follow seem to take that ball and run with it. That’s not to say there’s anything particularly negative about the first half of the game, but it becomes special once you reach the familiar cityscape.

The transformations, the varied challenges (some with online leaderboards), the visuals, it all continues to up the ante. We found ourselves accumulating many more moons than technically required simply because some lands drew us in and gave us the urge to experiment, the desire to find the next delightfully silly solution. You start finding more standalone stages, too, which become increasingly clever and entertaining as a result. One surprise encounter towards the end is also incredibly random, making us wonder where the heck it came from and what inspired it. That sense of not knowing what’s next is one of the best things about the experience.

The latter lands are the apex, with Bowser evidently taking his game up a notch as he seeks the wedding of his dreams. It becomes riveting at this point, and as you reach the initial ending you’re greeted by one of the best final boss encounters that Nintendo has ever created. It’s right up there.

Once the credits roll, though, Nintendo has found a smart way to keep you interested, and the post-game is both sizeable and fun. There are a few new areas (we won’t spoil them here) to reach, and in the process you can find even more challenge stages and puzzles to solve. It’s a true collect-a-thon at this point, but it’s superior in its design to what we saw in the genre’s early days. We felt more than happy to chase the ‘real’ ending, and it had a few delights of its own. You can even keep going after that if you’re a true completionist.

In our case this was played mostly as a solo experience, but Nintendo has integrated co-op support where one controls Mario - and generally runs the show - and another helps as Cappy. It’s a smart addition, especially if any young or inexperienced gamers want to join in but aren’t ready for three-dimensional running and jumping. Though Mario can snap Cappy back and take charge, it’s useful when player two roams free to collect coins or take out enemies. Cappy has slightly more range in co-op, so player two doesn’t necessarily need to feel tethered at all times.

It’s better than the ‘co-op’ in the Galaxy games, but not in the same league - obviously - as the genuine multiplayer of Super Mario 3D World. It was memorably described to this writer as ‘better than Tails’ in Sonic Mania, in terms of the feeling of actual participation; in that respect it’s a welcome inclusion. One other note for parents or players planning multiple run-throughs, meanwhile, is that ‘Data Management’ is found under options; here you can have five save files per system user.

Also included here, which can be optionally turned on or off at any time, is Assist Mode. This does a few things - Mario starts with a bigger health bar, he doesn’t immediately drop coins if he falls off the stage, and it puts fallen players near where they perished as opposed to the last checkpoint flag. On top of this there are guidance arrows to direct players to the key objectives, nudging them towards progress. As an extra this is a smart addition, as we know Switch converts that are keen to try the game but are worried by their inexperience when it comes to 3D Mario. Nintendo, quite rightly, wants those players to feel welcome.

For you amiibo collectors, these also offer a bit of assistance whenever you please. We weren’t testing the new ‘wedding’ figures for this review, but tried a variety of older amiibo. Non-Mario figures give you small rewards, for example, and scanning one of the ‘Anniversary’ Mario pixel amiibo figures gave us a nice surprise. You can also use amiibo to get tips on Power Moons you haven’t yet discovered, helping with the hunt later in the game. The functionality is generally a cute but entirely optional, and should also help some players in tricky areas when they need a small boost.

Our focus up to now has been gameplay, where Super Mario Odyssey shines, but Nintendo has also hit top gear in the game’s technical achievements. Whether on the TV or portable the gameplay rocks along at 60fps, entirely solid 99% of the time. It’s easy to forget now, but the original ‘sandbox’ Mario games ran at half that rate. On top of that the game is a looker, borrowing the visual approaches that are now so familiar from Nintendo - the Pixar-style cartoon-to-life vibe. It’s a bright and colourful game and also, at times, genuinely beautiful. It’s certainly a contender as the best-looking Switch game to date.

That’s certainly the case when docked, as we feel that playing the title through a good TV is the best way to experience the game. Nintendo, to its credit, has done more than bump the resolution from portable to docked; there are notable enhancements that use the extra resources. The game still looks impressive on the portable, but there are more noticeable artifacts and edges - bringing the action to a TV improves these areas. It’s not just a variation in pixel counts, there are genuine differences. We’re pleased to see this, as while Odyssey provides silky smooth and good-looking gaming on the go, it feels like a genuine ‘console’ game when kicking out of a large display.

As always, we should also give a nod to the music. Famously this title has a ‘lead’ track with vocals that’s even available for download, which is reflective of the confidence and swagger Nintendo demonstrates with the game as a whole. The music, overall, is excellent, in some cases ambient and in the background and at other points designed to get the player hyped up. Then there are the smart touches, like music distorting and changing if you’re underwater, or shifting to a chiptune version in a retro 2D section - all good stuff.

Beyond the sweeping scope, in fact, it’s a game all about small touches. From tourist-style maps for each Kingdom that give you little details on the locale, to silly Power Moon tasks and fun transformations, it’s a game keen to make players smile. It acknowledges the heritage of the title that started it all, Super Mario 64, but is still very much a game of this time - that is its greatest strength.

Conclusion

Super Mario Odyssey represents a shift in direction for Mario. For about a decade we had exceptional but tightly structured 3D series entries, but this new arrival’s building blocks go back to Super Mario 64. It’s a very modern take on ‘sandbox Mario’, however - Cappy and his abilities are key additions that freshen up the formula, and we have a sizeable and diverse set of lands to explore.

Odyssey will, inevitably, now enter the discussions about the ‘best’ Mario games. In the second half and post-credits - in particular - it takes on a life of its own, showcasing incredible design and development flair. It’s also a wonderful showcase for the Switch, and could introduce a whole new audience to the wonders of Mario in three dimensions. For the veterans among us, meanwhile, it’s yet another special release to remind us of why Mario is still gaming’s number one.

Why am I not surprised? I'm absolutely certain the score is warranted, but this site seems to be handing out a lot of perfect 10s this year. It any rate, tomorrow can't come soon enough. I may not be leaving my house for a solid week.

It is very odd to pick up the GOTY tomorrow when you already picked up a GOTY back in March and strangely on the very same game system and from the same producer... yet , here we are. 2017 keeps on delivering.

Finally. Now my only decision is whether to read it or not? I really just wanted to see the if it got a 9 or 10. Figured a 10, but wasn't 100%.

Oh, who am I kidding, I need to read it to find out how it controls w/ the Pro controller w/ the required motion before I lay out $70. And in handheld mode to see if I'll constantly be yelling at the kids to stop shaking the $300 console!!! And Grip vs no-Grip.

There's still no mention of DLC is there? I just find it hard to believe in 2017 there's a game w/ nothing else to buy besides amiibo. Oh yeah, have to find out what the amiibo do, just skins or additional features like Wolf Link in BotW. Much to my surprise Horizon Zero Dawn didn't have any last year, but then $20 add-on.

We have Zelda on Wii U, picking up the Switch-Mario bundle tomorrow, and Nov 7th I'll finally start Horizon when the DLC drops on PS4. That way I don't have to force myself to pick 1 GOTY, I'm having 1 per system. Well unless Horizon underwhelms, but it looks right up my alley, my kid is 20 hours in and thoroughly enjoying it. Mario will be seeing a lot of handheld mode. Still need Zelda DLC on Wii U as well. Oh and then XC2. I'm a big JRPG guy, that may actually be my GOTY, XC is like top 3 GOAT, so really looking forward to 2. Though I likely wont' play it until 2018, 2017 still has the games. And 2018 should be really good too. Glad I haven't quit the hobby yet.

ive just had to buy this digital as im going on holiday today to the only place in england without a game shop. i hate going digital and always prefer retail as i cant justify paying the same price and getting no cart, no box, no artwork. but sometimes you have to do what you have to do

I love the parallel here - Switch for me is rekindling the feeling of being blown away by the revolutionary Ocarina of Time and Mario 64 twenty or so years ago.

I also love the symmetry of the Zelda team being inspired to push the boundaries of OoT by the quality of M64 back then, and now we have the Mario team inspired to deliver their best by the sheer quality of Breath of the Wild.

If only I wasn't so busy this weekend. It'll be like leaving the biggest, heaviest present under the tree for a few days past Christmas.

Wow. What a well written review. You touched on all the points that make me really excited about the game without spoiling anything. I can't wait for this one. I may not be heard from or seen for quite some time. Lol

Yes! Now the switch is really going to take off in the sales!How can anybody doubt Nintendo now, seriously, just the way they are releasing amazing games of renowned ips, and spreading them apart by a couple of months here and there is really contributing to the success of the switch.I still think 2018 is really going to be Nintendos best year, as we have some amazing games in development.The next 2 months are going to be harsh on my wallet lol but it's going to be worth immersing myself with these quality games in the winter months...thanks Nintendo!

@dknintendo Yep, I would like to read more critical reviews or a retrospective about this game compared to the other 3D Mario games but I think some time is needed for that, same for Breath of the Wild.

I don't know, I have very particular tastes. That game looks like it was tailor made for me, a story driven 3rd person open linear game w/ great looking graphics. Uncharted 2 is my GOAT. I really liked Zelda more than I thought I would, and I'm all about an open world Mario, really liked Sunshine but Galaxy blew it away, SM3DW was kinda too linear, but I'm drawn to Aloy's adventure. And honestly, if XC2 is anything like the first, well that's my bread and butter. FF7 would be my GOAT if it weren't over 100 hours and almost impossible to do it all. XC had the misfortune of being on SD Wii while I was gaming on HD PS3. That's it's only flaw, which isn't it's fault, just bad timing.

I'm ok w/ whatever though, it's not that important to me to pick 1 GOTY, I'm more than happy w/ a 3-way or 4-way tie, bring on the great games, the more the merrier.

@Shiryu I honestly haven't seen anything on the eShop that interests me enough to play it. Well not including retail games, technically I am getting Mario on the eShop since the system comes w/ a download code, but I don't consider retail games eShop games. You probably meant the same thing anyway. Not that there aren't good games, there were 1 or 2 that caught my eye, but I just don't game as much as I used to, so I'm very particular. I still own Skyrim on PS3 I haven't started yet.

@Shiryu Man, i tell ya...I had NO idea when we decided to get our Switch that it would become what it has. Outside of my wife, my children, and my guitars it sits mightily at the top of the "favorite things" mountain. And I'm a 37 year old husband, father or two...it just feels like there are SO MANY GAMES that just "speak" to me, it really feels like the Switch transcends barriers and it can become a part of anyone's life. Astounding.

Hmm, girlfriend is expecting a night out tomorrow. I'll have to buy Odyssey on the way to her place after work and play it portable for a few hours before getting home later at night. She'll be angry at my inattention but...its a plan where I get to play Odyssey tomorrow so no complaints.

I don’t have time to read the review at the moment but judging by all of the review scores on meta critic, this game seems unbelievable. I know reviews are more about the content rather than the score, but when your game is receiving perfect scores across all major review sites, Nintendo obviously did something right.

@Shiryu I didn't really get into the Wii to be honest, i was pretty heavily into the music industry at the time and I was pretty well consumed with that world. I dug the Wii Sports stuff but I never actually owned one. I had a PS2 for a bit back in 08 or 09 ish but that was a blip too. The Switch though...with it's CRAZY 1st party lineup and it's CRAZY indie scene...it has become such a huge and welcome part of my life, and i honestly just did NOT see it coming. I should be working right now, to give you a perfect example lol.

Yeah boi! Best Mario game? I haven't played it yet, but considering my favorite has been Sunshine, despite its many flaws...Odyssey probably will be mine. Feels like release day should be today, ha ha. So many people are already playing.

@Fake-E-Lee Since were from the same generation but I do not have a family, I was able to keep up with BOTH music and video games all my life. Heck, I still make music and write for NL in my spare time while juggling my "real job" so all good!

@Shiryu Right on, yeah...for a long time I managed a stable of bands, played in 2, did a radio show, charity work, etc. and there just wasn't room for much else. Not sure how I managed to fit gaming back in there with 2 kids and a busy career...but I'm damn glad i did man, damn glad indeed.

This is the game that I bought a Switch for and cannot wait for it to arrive tomorrow. Everything I've read suggest this is the successor to Mario 64 we've been waiting for. As much as I liked the Galaxy series, Mario 64 was always king and hopefully tomorrow I'll be playing something that finally takes its crown

@Voodoo Stuck in traffic trying not to add to the accident count on my commute to work. (Ima need people to stop turning their cars into accordions, thanks). I'll likely have some commentary to add about the game next week (Yay PO boxes...Prime shipping is a thing of the past...)

You sent me a PSN request? Sorry! My other systems (sans PC) have been off since I got the Switch. I'll log in this weekend and accept your request. (I work a double today and tomorrow so the only game I'll be playing is SLEEP by Serta until then)

Absolutely man, it's all about balance. The Switch is great for me and my life because my wife is my best friend and I love hanging out with her. We can both hang out in the living room and she can watch something while I play handheld, or read while I play on the big screen, or any other combination of things...all the while carrying on a conversation and being engaged with each other. I keep it off while the kids are up and about, and I take it to work with me in case i need a quick 5-10 minute round to clear my head. It's phenomenal man, I could talk it up for days.

@Starbuster@Starbuster@Starbuster Also, maybe it is for legally blind people like myself as well. Kind of glad this is in the game given that I have a hard time navigating detail rich environments. The guidence is much needed in my case for sure. Definitely welcoming the guided mode. I'll probably set up two files, one for my wife without assist mode, and one for me with assist mode. Can't wait!

A 10/10 from NintendolifeWhat a shocking twist /sStill I want to play this game for myself. After BotW I'm catious about believing all the 10/10, even for Mario. I just don't want to set my expectations too high and then be let down in some aspects of the game

@MartyFlanMJFan Aw man, I feel for you. From Nintendo.co.uk? I checked my junk folder and apparently it's been dispatched. It says it's due tomorrow, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were to come late. I only pre-ordered it yesterday!

From Nintendo Official UK Store, yeah. I'm in Northern Ireland though, who knows maybe it will come tomorrow. It's for my son for Christmas so doesn't even matter I just really want to receive it tomorrow lol. Good luck and enjoy

I’m guessing the comment sections and forums on NL could be a bit of a ghost town (Boo House?) for the next few days.

@WiltonRoots - Since WHEN does one need to fully experience something to form a contrarian opinion on the matter?!? That’s not the way of the Internet. Spew a hot take now, and hope you’re right later. You should stealth edit your original post to make it an even hotter take.

Going to the midnight release at Best Buy. Already pre-ordered the game but when I'm there I'll try to swipe the 3 pack of amiibo too. Not going to read the review yet though, just wanted to see the number (as if it would be anything different). I'll read it later on when I finish the final boss and more open to some spoilers.

@Ryu_Niiyama Awesome! dermeisterigor is my psn, so you know who its from. I would have added you on switch but you cant add others with just their user names and I'm anti xbox/microsoft/Bill Gates everything

Another 10 out if 10 game for Switch. What a great first year it's been so far. I'll be picking this up in few hours. Wow, I can't believe its time to finally dive into another mainline Mario game. Lets-a-go!

Glad to hear that Oddysey lives up to the 64/Sunshine/Galaxy pedigree! I'm still going to wait until the inevitable upgrade SKU for the NS, since I still have things to do on 3DS and PC... However, it's awesome to know another classic is born!

This will be the first time in a long time I won't be playing the latest main Mario game when it releases. I'm so gutted. But until the Switch reduces in price there isn't much I can do about it unfortunately.

Who didn't expect such a stellar score? The game seems to be receiving accolades all over the web. I'm jealous of those of you who get to play it tomorrow, but I'll patiently wait to play this masterpiece in my own time!

@rjejr I guess maybe I look at it a little differently like how well the mechanics of the game are engineered and how novel the game is moreso than personal preference. This year has had quite a few top notch games, though. Persona 5, Horizon Zero Dawn, Nier, now Wolfenstein apparently.. not to mention Zelda and Mario. I hope XC2 is as awesome as the first but I hate to overexpect.

I managed to snag this for a super low price on Amazon when I pre-ordered in January. So excited to play! The Switch is just drowning in excellent games, it's almost too much.

Now I know everyone expected it to review well, as everyone puts on their "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" pants, and generally geeks out over a new Mario title ... but I felt this review was a little thin. No slag on Nintendolife or the reviewer, just seems light on specifics. Might just be me.

I'm so much more excited for this than I even was for BotW! Super Mario 64 is like half of my childhood (the other half being OoT) and I can't wait to get back to that style of Mario game! It's preloading on my Switch right now....HYYYYYYYYYPE

I used to be a big fan of Mario games, but they just never felt the same after New Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario 3D World; however, I pre-ordered Odyssey because it finally looks like the the Mario game I’ve been looking forward to for years. Can’t wait to give it a go!

Mario Odyssey has a higher rating than Zelda BOTW on all three major game review score aggregate websites (Metacritic, OpenCritic, GameRankings). In fact, it is currently the highest rated game ever on OpenCritic and GameRankings, though that may change if non-perfect review scores pour in later on.

Nintendo saved my day. Besides Persona 5 (which is superb but also very exhausting) I had nothing to play after being tired out from work every day. My copy of Mario Odyssey just arrived and I am finishing up work in 30 minutes (I live in Japan just if anybody wonders).

Preloaded the game yesterday, and started playing about an hour and a half ago once I was finished working. Just saved the sleepy hamlet of Bonneton, of the Cap Kingom, from the continued defilement of Bowser's wedding planners, the Broodals. This game is for reals guys!! Not that I even needed to say that. The controls are tight, the environments are enjoyable to explore, the game looks fantastic, and controlling Cappy with motion controls (both with pro controller or joy cons), is satisfying. Can't wait to get further into this newest adventure with Mario! Nintendo continues to lead the industry in terms of putting out polished, well designed, FUN games, that ooze personality and charm out of every pore. The legend of Nintendo continues to grow, and their star has certainly shined brighter in 2017 than I can remember it shining since the Wii days! GO GET THIS GAME IMMEDIATELY, MY FELLOW NINTENDO FAITHFUL!

"Absolutely man, it's all about balance. The Switch is great for me and my life because my wife is my best friend and I love hanging out with her. We can both hang out in the living room and she can watch something while I play handheld, or read while I play on the big screen, or any other combination of things...all the while carrying on a conversation and being engaged with each other. I keep it off while the kids are up and about, and I take it to work with me in case i need a quick 5-10 minute round to clear my head. It's phenomenal man, I could talk it up for days"

So basically you are me then lol. Seems like we lead very similar lifestyles in that respect

Nice review! I'll probably play it next year since I probably won't get a Switch this year. I did see a nice deal, but this year was already quite expensive for me. Besides I have a huuuge backlog (I have only played a small portion of both Metroid 3DS and Lady Layton. And I have barely touched the Mario and Luigi remake). Maybe I can get a even better deal next year, if I am lucky of course!

@GuruOfGreatness I think there are A LOT of people like us man, I think we're sort of an under the radar "demographic" in the gaming world. In our 30's, grew up on NES and SNES, maybe getting back into gaming with the Switch, kids, family, etc., etc. I think the Switch has brought a ton of us out of the woodwork and I think it's cool that we seem to connect in places like this. The Switch has enabled us to kind of create our own gaming space somewhere in between "casual" and "super teenage hardcore"...with careers and families it's just not entirely possible to stay up til 2 AM every night gaming til our brains ooze out of our ears, it just doesn't work. We're the ones throwing down Pokken Tournament on the train, thrashing Divine Beasts on our lunchbreak, and being lucky enough to get in a couple hours of NeuroVoider on the couch at home cause our significant other totally digs synthwave lol. You get the point....gaming might not be our WHOLE world, but the Switch has enabled it to be an intuitive, personal, and essential part of our lives. My wife is about to buy her own in fact, and it'll be worth every penny. All because she's seen how much I love it, how easily it fits into my life, and just how much bloody fun it is to have around.

Anyway, like I said, I could probably ramble on for days about how stoked I am to be a part of the Switch "movement", but alas I should probably get my day started lol. Nice to know some people relate to what I write, it's very much appreciated!

Absolutely. Though my wife is not into gaming, other than the odd game of Puyo Puyo Tetris and Mario Kart (and although she hasn't played one in years, she LOVES The Sims games), the Switch (and the Wii U TBF) allows me to be a devoted Father, as NOTHING comes before my children, which is why I will never game in front of them, and a loving husband, as, much like you, my wife is genuinely, 100%, truly my best friend also, which means she can do her thing whilst we chat about our day, the children etc, and I can do my thing (on the Switch lol).

I am self employed which means when I get a few minutes or a break, out comes the Switch to play on if I'm in the mood; and then on those oh so very rare occasions when my wife isn't there and the children are asleep, in it goes in the dock and on the main screen.

Though sometimes my wife will have some work to do and just say "you can play on the big screen if you want as I need to finish this before we watch anything", I rarely take her up on the offer, but with a game like Mario Odyssey, I might have to, as I want to see it in all its glory first before I switch to handheld mode.

I sold my PS4 last Christmas, and will be doing the same with the Xbox One this Christmas, as I have now realised, that unless any console ever released in the future does not offer off-screen play of some sort like Wii U or Switch, then I won't/can't buy it, as I have no time to monopolize or game on the main TV, nor would I ever want to when I have my family around me

@GuruOfGreatness Well said man, we ARE alot alike lol! Yeah, I don't care about 4K visuals, massive AAA shooters, tech specs, or any of that stuff. I care about great games, and for me...the Switch has exactly what I'm looking for. Great looking games but more importantly great PLAYING games, and on top of that i can take it anywhere and play anytime. It's just amazing and for people like us at this stage of our lives it is an absolutely perfect fit.

"once you game on a monitor you will never need to utilize the main TV again"

Very possibly, but there are two problems with that, 1) That would defeat the object of not alienating myself from my wife as I would probably be in a different room, and 2) I am a 31 year old technophobe. I am quite possibly and very realistically the person on this entire board that is most likely to NEVER ever game on a PC, as I wouldn't even know where to start. I am that far behind on understanding technology that it would probably frighten you lol.

50 moons in and I can safely say I am in love with this game... I don't even mind the lack of challenge as of yet as I am spending so much time just wandering around and taking in the sights. I cannot wait to spend my weekend with my former plumber best buddy!

Galaxy 2 is the better game. I feel as though there is too much padding with moons. I mean really...ground pounding a mound for a moon? Meh. Running around searching for moons feels too much like Banjo and I hate Banjo collect-a-thins. I disagree with critics. I feel as Nintendo made a mistake.

What I don't understand is that the reviewer mentions the motion control system is not ideal in handheld mode and not intuitive using a pro controller but still gives it a solid 10. I play primarily in handheld mode and the motion controls are really bad! There aren't even alternative button combinations to recreate the same functions such as throwing Cappy upwards!!

@Haywired@poly_phil Having 100%'d the game I just wanted to mention that I only needed to use motion controls once — once! — for getting all the 836 moons. The one I needed it for was to get the frog to jump extra high in one spot. That's it.

All the motion control-only moves are apart from that singular instance entirely optional and unnecessary, and I didn't use them whatsoever. I still consider it the best Mario game for me, and I've been playing this series since the NES one and held SM64 on that pedestal previous

@Galenmereth Thanks for the update! I've just completed it myself and loved every minute! You are right the motion controls aren't actually necessary but I still hold to the fact the I would drop a mark for the control scheme. Playing in handheld/controller mode you are unable to utilise all of the great moves that Mario has at his disposal.